Timer



Feb. 5, 1952 Filed Dec. 12, 1946 G. E. BATCHELDER ETI'AL TIMER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS George E. Bofchelder William E. Macneil afforneys Feb. 5, 1952 ca. E. BATCHELDER ETAL 2,534,106

TIMER Filed Decf 12, 1946' s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Gecrge E. Botchelder William E. Macneil attorneys Feb. 5, 1952 Filed Dec. 12, 1946 cs. E. BATCHELDEI ETAL 2,584,106

TIMER 3 Sheets-Sheet (5 attorneys Patented Feb. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT orr ca TIMER George E. Batchelder, Pittsburgh, Pa., and William 'E. Macneil, Dorchester, Mum, assignors to Rockwell Manufacturin Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 12, 1948, Serial No. 715,886

Claims. (Cl. 175-335) This invention relates to a timing device so constructed as to initiate a secondary action at definite intervals proportional to the speed of the driving element. More particularly, the invention pertains to means of control for a timing unit so that the time cycle of the induced secondary operation shall be constant even though the frequency of activation may vary over wide limits.

In automatic sampling devices it is generally essential. in the interest of accuracy, that the frequency rate at which samples are extracted shall be proportional to the speed at which the fluid is flowing. It is common practice to have the sampling apparatus motivated by a fluid meter so as to assure this desired relation. In some cases, however. it may be inconvenient or impractical to install the sampler as a unit with the meter, and frequently the sampler must be at some distance from any meter. Then there is need for remote control by some mechanism which will maintain the sampling process at intervals proportional to the rate of the flow of the fluid being sampled. It is also essential that when once started, the cycle of the sampling operation should be constant and also independent of the initiating means and the frequency of operation thereof.

When power for the operation of a sampler timing device is derived from or controlled by a fluid meter which is itself actuated by the flow of the fluid to be sampled, it is apparent that these movements can be made proportional to each other. But there is an inherent weakness in such an arrangement. If this same source of power actuates or controls the valve through which the sample is taken, a failure of this power might occur at a time when the sample valve is partly open. Or, if by reason of the distance between the time and the sampler, the linkage is made by electrical means, a cessation of operation of the timer might result in a closed circuit carrying sufficient current to impair the system. For these and other reasons a timing mechanism designed to overcome these difficulties is desirable.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a means whereby the duration of a series of mechanical actions may be controlled by separate and independent means.

A further object of the invention is to provide the means for repositioning a part of a mechanism so that its potential energy may be sub-' sequently and successively used to effect a sec ondary action.

A still further object of the invention is to make use of the known acceleration of a freely falling body to determine the time interval during which actions of a mechanism remain in effect.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby an electrical circuit cannot be closed until another cooperating circuit is open.

Another object is the provision of a novel and improved sampler operating mechanism.

Further objects will appear from the following description when read in conjunction with the appended claims and attached drawings wherein:

Fig. I represents a vertical cross section of a portion of the apparatus taken along line 1-1 of Fig. II.

' Fig. II is a front view in part cut away to show the operating mechanism.

Fig. III shows a front view with cover assembly and timing disk removed to indicate the electrical connections.

Figs. IV and V are schematic arrangements of the electrical circuit.

Fig. VI is a schematic diagram of the entire apparatus including the electrical circuit. sampler valve and water motor or meter.

Fig. VII is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus in one position.

Fig. VIII is an enlarged view of the same portion of the apparatus in a second position.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. I shows a housing I with a front cover plate 2 attached by counter-sunk screws 8, which encases most of the operating parts. Through a conventionally bushed and sealed opening in the rear wall of housing I there passes a shaft 4 to the inner end of which is affixed a timing disk 5 with a plurality of small systematically arranged protuberant knobs 6 on its forward face. This disk is caused to revolve at any desired rate by proper adaptation of shaft 4 with any chosen source of rotary power.

As shown in Figure I, a gearbox input shaft 4| is connected bv a coupling 42 to a shaft 43 having a worm 44 thereon. The worm drives shaft 45 through a worm wheel not visible because it lies behind shaft 43. A pinion 48 on shaft 45 engages a gear 41 to rotate shaft 48 which is connected to the shaft 4 by a coupling 49. The-described gearbox is adapted to be driven through input shaft 4! from a fluid meter so that rotation of disk 5 will be proportional to the rate of flow of fluid through a conduit.

Referring again to Figures I and II. a spring arm 1' with a contact point 8 at one end is in yieldable contact with both timing disk and an axially movable switch pin 9 of the two way micro switch in to which it is firmly attached. The switch pin 8 is biased for movement to the left in Figure I or downward in Figures IV and V. Any time that the contact point 8 rides up on any one of the protuberant knobs due to the revolution of timing disk 5 it is apparent that switch pin 9 will be depressed and switch ll shifted to its alternate position. The protuberant knobs 6 are arranged in concentric rows on the face of timing disk 5 and the angular spacing between knobs in any row can be arranged as desired. Thus it is possible to achieve almost arm 22 in raised position without the aid of pin any sequence of action that may be desired by properly angularly spacing the knobs 8 of any concentric row and selecting the desired row by means of arm I2.

The two way microswitch In which is normally biased to the position shown in Figure IV by an internal spring Illa, is attached to and rotatable with a short shaft Ii which extends through and is journalled for rotation in the front cover plate 2. On the outer end of this shaft there is pinned an adjustment arm i2 the upper end of which contains a pin i3 which fits into any one of the holes in in an adjustment and stop plate I screwed to front cover plate 2. A spring ila biases the pin towards the stop plate l4 and a shoulder Nb on the pin limits the travel of the pin into the holes. A coil compression spring. i5 placed between front cover plate 2 and adjustment arm l2 urges the shaft ii to the right so that a shoulder a on the microswitch mounting fitting has a frictional engagement with the inner wall of the cover plate 2. It will be seen that by the positioning of adjustment arm i2 in alignment with any of the holes 13a, the contact point 8 may be brought into any fixed position to cooperate with any selected concentric series of protuberant knobs 6 on the revolving timing disk 5, each hole [3a being so located that when the pin i3 engages one such hole, the arm i and contact point 8 will be in position to engage one concentric series of knobs.

A normally open microswitch I6 with a switch pin i'l biased upwardly as viewed in the drawings by a relatively strong spring Ila (Fig. IV), is fixed to the inside rear wall of housing I. Above this swimh there is attached a shielded solenoid [8 with a plunger is in which there are positioned two small forwardly extending pins and 2|, one vertically above the other and with their axes horizontal and in the same plane. Between these two pins extends the actuating arm 22 of a flattened cam 23 which is pivoted directly above the switch button II. When the solenoid plunger i9 is raised, the lower pin 20 lifts the actuatin arm 22, causing the cam 23 to rotate and the flattened portion 230 thereon to depress switch pin i1 and close the microswitch Hi. When the solenoid plunger I! is in its lower position as shown in Figure IV the flattened portion 23a will be in the relative position shown in Figures IV and VIII. This is because the strong spring i la acting on pin [I will cause the flattened portion to seek this position, since the axis of pin II is at right angles to the axis of cam 23. When arm 22 is raised by pin 20 on plunger I 9 the cam 23 is rotated to the position shown in Figures V and VII, and the force of spring ila upon pin 11 which now engages the cylindrical part of 23, will hold 20. It will be noted that when solenoid I. is deenergized the solenoid plunger is falls of its own wight and the upper pin 2| acting on actuating arm 22 will return the cam 22 to its original position thus releasing switch pin l1 and opening the circuit at this point. An important feature of this latter action lies in the time element which will be explained subsequently in detail.

A terminal block 24 (Figure III) with six effective insulated terminals A, B, C, D. E, and F is mounted on the front face of the rear wall of housing I, and the electrical connections from the solenoid, microswitches, etc.. are made to these terminals. The electrical circuit is outlined schematically in Figures IV, V and VI. The operation of this circuit is as follows: Figure IV shows the normal position of the single pole double throw microswitch l0 and the normally open single pole single throw microswitch It. Now referrin to Fig. V, as switch pin 9 is depressed by the action of contact point 8 riding up on a protuberant knob 6 of the rotating timing disk 5, the circuit through solenoid II is closed, the solenoid is energized and the plunger I9 is raised against gravity. As this action occurs, pin 20 of the solenoid plunger raises the actuating arm 22, causing rotation of the flatteried cam 23, thus depressing switch pin l1 and closing the normally open microswitch [8. Now as the pressure on switch pin 9 is relieved as the rotation of timing disk 5 continues, and the contact point 8 slides off of a protuberant knob 5, the circuit through solenoid ll is opened and the line circuit through microswitch l0 and microswitch ii to a load such as the sampler valve actuating solenoid 26 is closed. This circuit is maintained in a closed condition during the interval required for plunger I! of solenoid Hi to fall freely due to the force of gravity far enough so that pin 2| of said solenoid plunger engages actuating arm 22 of flattened cam 23 and reverses its rotation far enough to relieve the pressure on switch pin I! so that microwitch It returns to its normally open position. Thus the circuit through microswitch l8 and the load or solenoid 26 is broken and the switches are in normal position for a repetition of the cycle.

In this particular illustration, the load 2! is a large solenoid which has sufllcient power to effect the desired operation of the valve of a fluid sampler.

The system shown in Figure VI includes a conduit 64 having a water motor or meter 65 connected by suitable gears 86 or the like to the previously described input shaft ll. A register 61 is shown connected to shaft 43. Shaft l rotates timing disk 5 which controls microswitch ll as previously described. The load solenoid 2B is connected by a lever 68 to the stem 69 of a sampler valve 50 mounted in the wall of conduit 64. Energization of solenoid 28 rotates lever 88 counter-clockwise and unseats a valve 5| to the position indicated at Sla to admit fluid to a sample cup 52. Upon deenergization of solenoid 26, a tension spring 51 maps the valve 5| back to closed position. It will be apparent that with the system described it will be impossible for the valve 5| to remain in open position in the event of cessation of fluid flow in conduit 64 or the failure of the electrical supply.

It is important to note that the time during which the load or solenoid 28 circuit is closed asemoe 8 depends on the time required forthe solenoid plunger I. to fall of its own weight through a given distance. Thus this time element may be both predetermined and varied to suit many special requirements. Furthermore, the two electrical circuits to solenoid l8 and load sole-'- noid 20 are so arranged with respect to each other that both may be open at one time but one must be open before the other can be closed. The importance of this arrangement lies in the fact that the heavy current through the load circuit might be harmful if it were not intermittent. Should the timing dislr I stop when the contact point I is atop one of the protuberant knobs, the circuit through the small solenoid It will remain closed but in this case the current involved is too'small to do any damage. But the load circuit cannot be closed until the contact point slides oil of the protuberant knob thus causing the opening of the solenoid ll circuit and fall by gravity of the solenoid plunger. Therefore, mechanical failure or the cessation of the driving force cannot result in any injury to the circuits nor can the sample valve be left open.

In order to provide an adjustment of the time during which the circuit through load solenoid It is efiective, the upper pin 2| may be indepently adjustable upon the plunger is of sole-' noid ll. In Figures I, II and III, pin 2| is fixed to a bar BI which is vertically adjustable upon plunger I! by reason of the fact that it has a vertical slot It through which passes its fastening screw 61 which is threaded into the plunger The invention may be embodied in-other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patents is:

1. In an electric timing system for the periodic energization of a motor device responsive to the flow of electric current, an electric circuit including in series arrangement a voltage source, a motor device responsive to the fiow of electric current, a first switch having a single contact normally biased to open position, a second switch having two contacts one of which is connected to said first switch and a switch arm normally biased to engage said one contact and connect it to said voltage source but movable to disengage said one contact and to engage the other of said two contacts and connect it to said voltage source; an electromotive device having one connection to one side of said voltage source and another connection to the other side of said voltage source through said other contact in said second switch when said other contact is engaged by said switch arm; a power driven device operable to momentarily shift said switch arm from its biased engagement with said one contact into engagement with the 6 energization of said electromotive device. said last named means also being operable to open said first switch after said. power driven device has released said switch arm and said switch arm has reengaged said one contact.

2. In an electric timing system for the periodic energization of a device responsive to the fiow of electric current, an electric circuit including in -series arrangement a voltage source, means for connecting a device responsive to the now of electric current, a first switch having a single contact normally biased to open position. a second switch having two contacts, the first of which is connected to said first switch, and a switch arm normally biased to engage said first contact and connect it to said votlase source but movable to disengage said first contact and to engage the second of said two contacts and connect it to said voltage source; an electromotive device having one connection to one side of said voltage source and another connection to the other side of said voltage source through said second contact when said second contact is en gaged by said switch arm; a power driven device operable to momentarily and intermittently shift said switch arm from its biased engagement with said first contact and into engagement with said second contact at a rate proportional to the speed of said power driven device; and means connecting said electromotive device to said first switch and operative to close said first switch in response to the energization of said electromotive device; said last mentioned means also being operable to open said first switch after said power driven device has released said switch arm.

3. In an electric timing system for the periodic energization of a device responsive to the fiow of electric current; a first electric circuit including in series arrangement a voltage source. means for connecting a device responsive to the fiow of electric current, a first switch normally biased to open position, and a second switch connecting said first switch to said voltage source and normally biased to closed position; a second circuit including an electromotive device having one connection to said voltage source and a second connection to said second switch, said second switch being operable to selectively connect said electromotive device or said first switch to said voltage source; means for intermittently shifting said second switch momentarily to connect said electromotive device to said voltage source: and means operative by said electromotive device when energized, to close said first switch, said means also being operative to delay the reopening of said first switch after said electromotive device is deenergized.

4. In an electric timing system for the periodic energization of a device responsive to the flow of electric current; a first electric circuit including in series arrangement a voltage source, means for connecting a device responsive to the fiow of electric current, a. first switch normally biased to open position, and a second switch connecting said first switch to said voltage source and normally biased to closed position; a second circuit including an electromotive device movable in one direction when energized and in the other direction when deenergized, said electromotive device having one connection to said voltage source and a second connection to said second switch, said second switch being operable to selectively connect said electromotive device or said first switch to said voltage source; means for intermittently shifting said second switch from its normal biased position, to connect said electromotive device to said voltage urce; and means connecting said electromotive device to said flrst'switch, said means being responsive to said electromotive device in its movement and eiiective to close said first switch upon movement of said electromotive device in one direction, and also to release said first switch to its biased open position in response to movement of said electromotive device in the other direction.

5. In an electric timing system tor the periodic energization of a device responsive to the flow of electric current; a first electric circuit including in series arrangement a voltage source means for connecting a device responsive to the flow of electric current, a first switch normally biased to open position, and a second switch connecting said first switch to said voltage source and normally biased to closed position; a second circuit including an electromotive device operable to move in one direction when energized and in the other direction when deenergized, said electromotive device having one connection to said voltage source and a second connection to said second switch, said second switch being operable to selectively connect said electromotive device or said first switch to said voltage source; means for intermittently shifting said second switch from its normal biased position, to connect said electromotive device to said voltage source; and means connecting said electromotive device to said first switch, said last mentioned means being responsive to said electromotive device in its movement and eiiective to close said first switch upon movement said electromotive device in one direction, and also to release said first switch toitsbiasedopenpositioninresponsetomm ment oi said electromotive device in the other direction, said last mentioned means including a lost motion connection between said electrometive device and said first switch. and said last mentioned means being effective to hold said switch in closed position during the interval when lost motion renders the connection ineffe'ctive.

GEORGE E. BATCHEIDER.

WILLIAM E. MACNEIL.

REFERENCES CITED The iollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

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